Earthworks CMK4 Users Manual
CMK4
CMK5
CloseMic™ Kit
User’s Guide
Congratulations on your purchase of the Earthworks® CMK4 or CMK5 kit of
DM20 DrumMic™ Tom & Snare Microphones. When using these microphones
on your toms and snare, you will hear more detail in the attack in addition to
hearing subtle details that cannot be heard when using conventional microphones. You will walk into a whole new world of pristine drum sound using the
DM20 DrumMic™ High Denition Microphones™. After reading this manual,
if you have any unanswered questions, please email or phone us using the
contact information on the back cover of this manual.
First, identify all the items that came in your CMK4 or CMK5 kit to verify
that you have received everything listed below.
CMK4 CloseMic™ Kit CMK5 CloseMic™ Kit
4 – DM20s for Toms & Snare 5 – DM20s for Toms & Snare
4 – RM1 RimMount™ for DM20s 5 – RM1 RimMount™ for DM20s
4 – PW1 Foam Windscreens 5 – PW1 Foam Windscreens
1 – High Impact Carrying Case 1 – High Impact Carrying Case
with custom foam insert with custom foam insert
1 – Users Manual 1 – Users Manual
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Please Read This
The DM20’s High SPL Handling and Lower Output Level
The DM20 has been designed for close miking toms and snares with high SPL
handling of 150dB and a reduced output level. In most cases the DM20 will
not require the use of a pad to prevent overloading the input of outboard microphone preamps, or the mic preamp inputs on mixers, consoles or computer
audio interfaces. The majority of these units will accommodate high microphone
levels at the preamp input without distortion. However, the more sensitive units
will not handle high mic levels at the preamp input will require the use of a pad
to prevent the preamp from distorting. We encourage you to check the specications of your preamp, mixer, console or computer audio interface to verify that
the microphone preamp input will accommodate high levels of approximately
+20dBV.
Different Types of Preamp Input Pads
Some outboard preampliers, mixers or consoles may have a built-in mic preamp
pad that can be switched in or out. However, on some models these pads are
not attenuators that precede the preamplier input and just reduce the gain of the
preamplier itself. Unless these preampliers will handle a high input level (i.e.
Version 1, August 15, 2017
1
A
B
This so-called pad, is not really a pad,
it only changes the gain of the preamp,
and may not prevent overload of the
preamp input.
Figure 1-A and 1-B Types of Preamp Input Pads
This is an actual microphone preamp
pad, which is an attenuator that will
reduce level prior to the preamp input.
+20dBV) these so-called pads will typically provide no preamp input overload
protection from microphones with high output levels (see Fig. 1-A). Some out-
board preamps, mixers, consoles or computer audio interfaces have actual pads
that precede the preamplier input. These types of pads will provide preamp input
overload protection that is needed (see Fig. 1-B). Such pads will typically provide
–10dB or –20dB attenuation. If an external XLR type mic pad is needed, Earthworks offers a LevelPad™ which provides -20dB of attenuation and is simply
plugged into the microphone cable. The DM20’s lower output level, in most cases,
should not require an external pad when close-miking toms or snares.
Earthworks Drum Mics
The Earthworks DrumKit™ High Denition Three-Microphone Systems™ have
had great success because they pick up drum sounds with far more detail and
accuracy than conventional microphones. This improved sound quality is due to
Earthworks® advanced proprietary technologies.
Many drummers such as Jeff Campitelli with Joe Satriani, Steve Gadd, Keith
Carlock, Ronnie Vannucci, Anton Fig, Anthony King and many top FOH engineers touring with major artists are using Earthworks High Denition Drum Mi-
crophones™ for overheads, toms, snare and kick drum with exceptional results.
The DM20 is a new generation of Earthworks tom and snare microphones. It
features a stable gooseneck for easy positioning that will stay in place even
when the drums are played very hard. It also can handle high acoustic sound
levels up to 150dB SPL. The Earthworks proprietary polar technology provides a stunning amount of rear rejection and a frequency response out to
80 degrees off-axis within 3dB of the on-axis response. This vastly reduces
phase cancellations, minimizes the pickup of unwanted sounds at the rear of
the microphone and provides significantly more gain before feedback for live
sound applications.
2
Earthworks High Definition Microphones
™
the New Science in Microphones
David Blackmer, the brilliant engineer who invented the innovative technol-
ogies of dbx, is also the inventor and founder of Earthworks. In the last few
years of his life, David developed a number of revolutionary technologies that
dramatically improve the sound quality and performance of microphones. In
short, Earthworks High Definition Microphones™ pick up sounds more accurately and with more detail than conventional microphones. These dramatic
improvements are in the areas of impulse response, diaphragm settling time
and advanced polar technologies. Those who have heard Earthworks High
Definition Microphones™ say they have more rear rejection and more gain
before feedback in addition to hearing more detail of the attack, more subtle
detail from low level signals thereby providing a more pristine sound quality
than with any conventional microphones can provide, regardless of price.
Miking Drums
There are many ways to mic drums and it seems that most every recording or live
sound engineer has their own way of doing this. Our objective is not to indicate
which drum miking approach is better, but to make suggestions and look at advantages and disadvantages of each. Every engineer or producer uses their own
methods to obtain the results they desire, and that’s what matters.
Multi-microphone Method
The objective in multi-microphone drum miking is to place a separate microphone on most or all the elements of a drum set. Typically, separate mics are
used on snare, toms, hi-hat and kick drum, along with one or two overhead
microphones. The overhead mics pick up the overall sound of the drum set
including cymbals (which are typically not miked separately). By this method,
the mixing engineer can control the level, and signal processing (limiting, EQ,
etc.) for each element of the drum set (toms, snare, hi-hat, etc.). This provides
a great deal of control over the sound of the entire drum set and allows bringing out certain patterns on hi-hat, snare, etc. Multi-miked drums are desirable
for live sound, providing more control and increased gain before feedback,
and when recording in a large room with high ambient sound this reduces the
amount of unwanted room sound and provides greater control of the drum mix.
Earthworks Near-Perfect Polar Response
One of Earthwork’s proprietary technologies is near-perfect polar response
i.e. very uniform response over the front 160º of the microphone. Conventional
microphones (even expensive ones) have a loss of high frequencies at the
sides of the microphone. Have you ever tried to put three singers on a single
3
Loading...